Death and Darkness, Reunion and Division
by Dairene
Summary: Salem's War ended years ago... but that was only the prelude for another bloody conflict. A new enemy. A new war. (Will have flashbacks of those who tragically fell during Salem's War)
1. Second Siege of Mistral

Forward Base Hector, south of Mistral City, Free Mistral Federation, during the Second Siege of Mistral, Second Great War, 92 PV (92 Years After Peace of Vytal)...

General Oscar Pine of the Free Mistral Federation breathed heavily as he watched the other officers bickering over the strategy table.

"We need to strike now!" Mistralian Colonel Daniel Merri demanded, hitting the table. "What don't you understand? Haven Academy is under siege! The Mistral Council and Headmistress Briggs are trapped in there! Without them, Mistral will fall to the Empire!"

"I understand your concern, but we can't be reckless!" Colonel Boris Politan of the Vale Army Expeditionary Force retorted. "If we lose our forces here, we'll end up losing much more than just Mistral! Besides… I think Haven can hold out… well enough…"

"You Valemen are just cowards! Our Airships are already harassing the Atlas Airfleet! They are fighting and dying as we speak!" Colonel Merri roared. "I'm starting to think you don't really care about our Alliance…"

"Most of the Vale Army didn't even bother to show up," Johannes Brine, who was representing the Branwen Tribe. "Fucking cowards…"

He wasn't entirely wrong either- Vale had promised them considerable reinforcements to lift the Siege of Mistral, only to renege at the last minute. Pirates from Vacuo had intensified raids on Vale and nearby coastal settlements over the past couple weeks, and the Vale Council had apparently been worried that it might be the prelude to a Vacuo invasion of the homeland.

Only a small Vale Expeditionary Force that had already been fighting in Mistral were available to aid Oscar's forces. Rumor was, a group of Vale Huntsmen led by Professor Oobleck had attempted to join them, but were stranded by Grimm attacks somewhere near Higanbana. The incriminations and arguments at the strategic meetings had only gotten worse from there. The leader of the Branwen contingent, Raven Branwen, had stopped attending altogether, sending her subordinates in her stead. Oscar couldn't really blame her, with how badly the meetings had degenerated.

Oscar wasn't sure how much longer he could keep this motley, disorganized army of Valemen, Mistralians, Branwen bandits, and Menagerie partisans together. He honestly wasn't even sure he deserved the rank of General- at 24, he was the youngest General anywhere in the four Kingdoms or Menagerie. He had become a phenomenal fighter and Huntsman over the years, but his rapid ascension through the ranks mostly rested on Ozpin's strategies during Salem's War, and the fact that he was one of the few survivors of the team that ended that very war eight years ago.

Well that, and all the death that had happened since. Just months after the final defeat of Salem, all hell broke loose. Ozpin's spirit had left Oscar, finally at rest with his beloved Salem, but Ozpin's surviving associates brought the four relics to Vytal, in hopes of bringing back the gods and restoring a united humanity.

As it turns out, humanity was anything but united. During the treachery of Vytal, the Atlesian and Vacuo military assaulted the ceremony, stealing two of the relics. Not long after, the Mistral Civil War erupted, followed by a resurgence of the White Fang, and any hope of reuniting humanity- and the relics- was abandoned.

Of course, Atlas, Vacuo, the Mistral coup forces, and the New White Fang- they were all simply well-coordinated pawns, vassals of the Empire. Officially, it called itself the Empire of Remnant (an ambitious name reflecting its megalomaniac desires), though people called it many things- the "Empire of Shadows", the "Empire of Dracius", or simply "the Empire". An Empire of mystery, of evil... an Empire that used Grimm.

Oscar sighed, fished out a metal buckle from his pocket, and looked down at it. A silver-colored buckle in the shape of a rose- the only memento he had of her.

He'd had many companions during the War against Salem a decade ago, companions he'd lost, that he missed deeply. She was the last one he'd lost, lost in the last mortal struggle against Salem. Oscar still had the mangled remains of her weapon in his house in Mistral… now besieged behind enemy lines. If only she was here, surely she'd know what to do...

He recalled how she'd told him once in Mistral, that she chose to keep fighting no matter how hard things were. Because the friends she'd lost- they would have done the same if she had been the one to perish. And now she was gone, it was up to Oscar to carry on the torch.

Commander James Amin stumbled into the command tent. "I- I'm sorry I'm late, guys," the iguana Faunus wheezed. "I was talking to Colonel Amitola. She's bringing in reinforcements from Menagerie, but they probably won't be here for a few days."

"That does it!" Colonel Politan slapped his palm on the table. "We wait for the reinforcements! We simply cannot afford to attack now!"

"You coward!" Colonel Merri accused, "We have no time to wait for those… animals!"

Commander Amin stiffened at those words.

Oscar felt he needed to cut in about now. "Enough! I won't have you using racial slurs in my presence again, Daniel! As for our plan, how about this? We wait a few days until the Menagerie reinforcements arrive… unless it looks like Mistral is cracking. At any sign that Mistral's defenses can't hold out any longer, we join the battle. Our numbers are relatively evenly-watched with the Atlesian and Mistralian Imperials, but we stand a pretty good chance of victory if we sandwich them between us and Mistral's defenders. After all, Headmistress Briggs and the Huntsmen and Huntresses of Haven are no pushovers. Plus, they have a Free Atlas detachment with them under the veteran Winter Schnee. However, if we wait for our Faunus reinforcements, we can greatly reduce the casualties on our side. But again, we won't let Mistral fall."

The arguing officers fell quiet, and Oscar felt a temporary flare of pride at finally placating both sides. "Gentlemen, I think we-"

But it was short-lived.

A breathless Mistral Lieutenant rushed in. "Sir- the Imperial Army is here!"

"Yes, I know!" Colonel Merri growled dismissively. "That's what we're here to fight!"

"No, you don't understand, sir!" The young officer exclaimed. "I'm not talking about the Atlesian vassal army or those Mistral royalists- the ACTUAL Imperial Army is here! It's the Dracians!"

As if on cue, they could hear the distant cry of a Nevermore.

Oscar felt a chill run down his spine and his eyes widened in horror as the truth dawned upon him. "No… no, no, no!" He rushed out and saw what he feared.

A flock of Nevermores, Griffins, Manticores, and Ravagers were descending from the sky in the distance. On the northern hills, an enormous horde of Grimm- Creeps, Death Stalkers, Ursa, Diceros, Boarbatusks, and Beowulfs. Surrounding them were Imperial Airships, fighters, and squads of android handlers, which the Empire infused with special Grimm fluid and Dust to keep their monsters herded and… reasonably controlled. This was how the Empire managed to turn the Grimm into crude but horrifyingly directed weapons of war.

"What- what do we d-do?" Johannes questioned tremulously, fear showing in his voice at the sheer number of Grimm swarming over the hills.

"We have no choice," Oscar narrowed his eyes. "We have to fight. We have to save them!" He took a deep breath, as the consternated Colonel Merri and Colonel Politan caught up to him, before explaining himself. "There are two routes our enemy may take- one is to overwhelm and breach Mistral's defenses in one fell swoop. The other is they intend to attack our outlying military camps, and prevent us from reinforcing Mistral. Personally, I think the first is more likely. But either way, we have no choice but to fight. The sooner we strike the better." He lifted his communicator scroll. "This is General Pine to all Alliance forces! It looks like the Empire is bringing the fight to us! So let's go kick those Grimm back into whatever pools of slime they crawled out of! We will beat the Empire and we will save Mistral! For the Alliance!"

Cheers and battle cries erupted around the camp, and soldiers rushed to form up. Oscar took a deep breath as he fiddled with his cane- after all that rousing speech had been just as much for his sake as that of his soldiers.

First he had to make sure their air support was in place: "Captain Sukarno! Captain Xinfu! Have the Free Mistral and Vale Airfleets disengage from the Atlas Airfleet! You are to engage the Imperial Airships and airborne Grimm from the west! Have your gunships and Bullheads provide as much air support as you can!"

"Acknowledged, General!" Captain Sukarno answered stoically. "Best of luck down there."

"Understood, Vale forces will comply," Captain Xinfu replied in a grim tone. "We'll give them hell."

"What about the Atlesian Airfleet, sir?" Colonel Merri asked anxiously from behind Oscar.

"Hopefully, if my plan works, we won't have to worry about them for long," Oscar vowed, though he quietly crossed his fingers. "More importantly, Colonel, dispatch the recon teams! Get me info on the Imperial Android Handlers! Their class, numbers, positions!"

"Yes, sir!"

As the Colonel hurried off to obey, Oscar dialed a different contact on his scroll. "Raven, are you there?"

"Yes," A voice grumbled. What do you want?"

"Could your tribesmen please skirmish the enemy's western flank? Anything to break up the Imperial Grimm formations."

"This better not be a repeat of Fort Amber!" Raven warned menacingly. "I won't send my people as sacrificial pawns to cover your troops! Do you have recon info yet?"

Oscar sighed. "Fine. When I get the recon info, I'll send it to you. You can decide the attacks at your discretion. I promise you, I don't intend to use your people like General Kremer did at Fort Amber."

"General, the androids are largely Mark III Black Knights deployed on the periphery!" Colonel Merri shouted over his scroll. "The command units are mostly Cinder-class, but I think I see a few Penny-class- and they're interspersed in the center of the Grimm swarm! They won't be easy to hit! Recon units are taking heavy fire from Black Knights, withdrawing now!"

"What about numbers?"

"Grimm are at about ten thousand, mostly small units. Maybe a couple hundred, three hundred Black Knights, and probably a hundred or so Cinder-class androids, sir!"

"Acknowledged, Colonel!" Oscar quickly called Raven and relayed the information.

As Raven grumbled and began dispatching her tribal skirmishers, Oscar called Colonels Merri and Politan.

"Have the Bison tanks and Warhounds take the vanguard! Huntsmen and Huntresses are to provide close fire support! Standard infantry are to follow! Our objective will be to link up with the Mistral defenders, so avoid unnecessary combat if possible! Turrets and snipers, Cinder-class androids are priority targets, Black Knights secondary!"

"Sir- are- are you nuts?" Colonel Politan exclaimed.

"Are you questioning our General?" Colonel Merri roared disbelievingly.

"I serve Vale, not Mistral command!" Colonel Politan shot back. "What about the damn Grimm?!"

"No, don't you see?" Merri replied before Oscar could answer. "This many Grimm, it's straining their android handlers to their limit keeping them in line. If we take out enough of those androids, the Grimm will go berserk and break formation! Then it won't just be our problem, they'll be attacking the Atlesians and Mistralian royalists indiscriminately as well!"

"The siege will collapse and we can mop up the Grimm after," Oscar finished succinctly. "From the safety of the Mistral perimeter once we reach there."

"I- I see- " Colonel Politan mumbled. "My apologies- sir."

Oscar shrugged off the apology and ran over to his personal Bison-class Battle Tank as it scrambled to get in position.

"Good to see you, General," The tank's driver, Captain Kallen Stadtfelt, greeted with a wry smile, as Oscar climbed in. "We're ready to move out when you are."

An Atlesian, Stadtfelt had been one of the first to defect to the Free Atlas Forces after the Treachery at Vytal despite being only a military cadet at the time. A veteran of many battles by now, she had proven herself one of the best tank drivers and mech pilots in the Alliance.

"Good to you see you, Captain Stadtfelt! You too, Lieutenant Ash, Lieutenant Shiro. Let's give them these Imperials a run for their money!" He turned on his scroll. "Team Atomic, what's your status?"

"Team Atomic is in position, sir," Akame Indria, leader of the Vale Huntsmen team assigned to protect Oscar, reported via scroll.

"Good! Let's move to engage!"

Oscar climbed up into the tank turret. He preferred that position because it gave him as good a view as he could get, while allowing him to fire on the enemy. Though there were times where he was better off sitting in the safety of a fortified command center, Oscar liked to keep that to a minimum.

He aimed his targeting reticule on a pair of low-flying Manticores and fired, shredding both Grimm with Dust shells, before turning his turret to cut down a Nevermore that was firing feathers at his troops.

Besides, there was something satisfying about blasting these loathsome creatures to smithereens.


	2. A Fighter to the End

Note: Since I planned and wrote this after Season 6, and before Season 7, obviously may well differ from canon after Season 7. For example, I'm sticking with Penny having died in Season 3 and never having been rebuilt (as in her original core, her memories and soul, though copies have her design have been made).

A Fighter to the End

Nine Years Prior, Battle of Mantle, Salem's War, 83 PV (83 Years after the Peace of Vytal)...

Ruby Rose fired fiercely with Crescent Rose, but only succeeded in distracting the Flying Beringel.

"Weiss, cover me!" Ruby cried out, and her partner rushed to her side, blasting various Dust attacks at the flying Grimm primates.

While the Grimm were distracted, Ruby managed to reach the edge of the landing platform and launch herself at the escaping Mistral Airship with the recoil of Crescent Rose.

"Oh no, you're not getting away!" Ruby shouted, as she immediately leapt through the open door of the airship, straight into desperate battle against both Neo and Mercury.

"Ruby!" Yang cried out in shock, as she herself violently punched a Beringel in the face. "Get out of there!"

"No, I can- " Ruby parried a flurry of Neo's blows. "Wha- AHHHH!" Crescent Rose had sliced through Neo's illusion, and unbalanced Ruby. Then a blow from Neo struck Ruby from the back, followed by a kick from Mercury that destroyed Ruby's aura and knocked her straight out of the Airship.

"RUBY!" Qrow flew upward in the panic, only to realize he couldn't catch her niece in that form.

Blake launched herself off the cliff, using Gambol Shroud to keep herself tethered, and barely managed to catch Ruby.

Making himself useful, Qrow flashed into human form and grabbed Crescent Rose, before turning back into a crow, and banking back toward safety.

"Shit, they're escaping with the relic!" Blake shouted helplessly.

At that moment, an Atlesian Gunship swooped down and General Ironwood leaped out, firing his pistol at a Manticore that flew by.

"Go! Take this gunship! The Atlesian military will protect civilians!"

Behind them, Atlesian soldiers and AK-200s poured out, firing at the Grimm invaders. Other Atlesian Gunships swooped through the sky, gunning down Beringels, Manticores, and Nevermores.

Blake, Yang, and Maria Calavera nodded and rushed into the Atlesian Gunship. Weiss, Ren, and Nora filled in after them, while Jaune and Qrow stayed behind to protect and heal the unconscious Ruby.

The Atlesian Gunship chased after the Mistral Airship, firing madly with the missiles it had, until finally striking a vital hit on the port side engine.

"Yes!" Yang pumped a fist into the air. "Nice shot, Maria!"

The Mistral Airship continued flying, but significantly slower than before, and the pursuing Atlesian Gunship quickly closed in on them until the two vehicles flew in parallel.

"Yang, keep those Manticores and Beringels off us!" Blake shouted, as she fired her Gambol Shroud at the Mistral Airship and latching onto the other vessel's side, and propelling herself across.

"Let's go!" Weiss generated repulsion glyphs and leapt onto them, leap-frogging herself to the other ship, dodging Mercury and Neo's fire all the while.

"Haha!" Nora cackled, as she launched herself at the enemy ship, riding on her own Magnhild, while Ren provided covering fire, shooting at Mercury.

Mercury and Neo for their part, did not slouch, immediately and ferociously battling Blake and Weiss the instant they touched down on deck, even as the boarding action was still going on.

Something slammed into the side of the Mistralian Airship and the spluttering vessel began spiraling out of control.

"Nora!" Ren cried out in alarm. He turned to Maria. "We have to help them!"

"You don't have to tell me twice," Maria commented. "But that is a damned Sphinx!"

"Just keep following them!" Yang bellowed, firing incessantly out of the starboard door at the Sphinx. "We'll keep the Grimm off them!"

"Guys, we got Griffins incoming!" Ren warned, firing his dual pistols at the distant pursuers, in a desperate attempt to ward them off.

"Let's wrap this up quickly, then," Maria narrowed her mechanical eyes. "We're going to have to knock the other ship out of the sky!"

"Are you crazy?" Ren demanded. "Nora and the others are still on the ship!"

"They'll be f-"

"Oh no you don't!" A different, yet familiar, voice bellowed from a loudspeaker. Abruptly, as if out of nowhere, another Atlesian Gunship seemed to materialize out of nowhere to their port side.

"Is that… Emerald?" Yang gaped flabbergasted.

"No, no, no…!" Ren muttered in horror as he rushed to the port door and began shooting at the other Gunship.

"Stay! Away! From them!" Emerald rammed her ship into the side of Maria's Gunship, breaking off one of the latter's wings, and both Atlesian vessels plummeted toward the ground.

"Got no choice now!" Maria managed to aim the teetering ship's targeting system at the escaping enemy, and fired off a trio of missiles.

Two of them missed, but the third missile punched a hole through the front of the Mistralian Airship, ripped out, and detonated just meters in front of it.

"NOO!" Emerald cried out in frustration across the loudspeaker of the second Atlesian Gunship as she witnessed the Mistralian Airship take the hit. "You bastards!"

"We're going to crash!" Yang yelled. "Let's bail! Maria!"

"You guys go if you want, but I think I can make the crash landing!"

"Well… good luck!" Yang launched herself out of the Gunship, followed by Ren.

Meanwhile, Neo had bailed out of the Mistralian Airship, using her umbrella as a parachute.

"Oh no, you don't!" Nora growled, launching after Neo on her Magnhild.

But Neo was far more acrobatic, even in mid-air, than the brute-force Nora, and easily dodged the younger girl's attack.

"Nora, get back here!" Weiss shouted after her, to no avail. "We need to stick together- aughhh!"

The Mistralian Airship crashed into the sandy beach, sending its occupants crashing around inside the compartment.

"No!" Mercury cried out as the Relic of Knowledge flew off his belt and clattered to the ground, and Blake immediately lassoed the object in mid-air.

"Got it!"

"You bitch!"

"Ow!" Weiss yelled. "Who is even flying this thing…"

"That… doesn't concern you!" Mercury gritted his teeth, though he looked somewhat shaken himself. "Myklos, go get back-up!"

The Airship pilot dashed out of the cockpit and raced off on the sand.

"Hey, where do you think you're going!" Weiss prepared to pursue, but at the last second she spotted Mercury rushing for her, and hastily dodged out of the way.

"Going somewhere, Ice Queen?" Mercury taunted.

Weiss growled, and whipped her rapier around to engage.

"Leave her alone!" Yang bellowed authoritatively as she stormed over, firing blasts from Ember Celica and her mechanical arm.

At that moment, Maria's Gunship crashed messily some distance away, strewing debris behind it. Immediately, it was beset by a Sphinx and a swarm of Griffins.

Yang glanced over to see Nora and Ren already had their hands full engaging Neo, so she turned to Weiss. "Go help Maria! I'll hold this bastard off!"

Weiss nodded simply and rushed off, firing Dust attacks from her weapon at the Griffins as she did.

"Oh yeah?" Mercury scoffed. "What makes you think you can beat me? I'll have you I know I was going easy on you last time."

"Boastful words from an overconfident fool," Yang dismissed. "We win because we fight as a team. You're outnumbered and surrounded."

"Oh, are we?" Mercury smirked. "This 'fool' before you has already called for back-up. I only need to hold you off- and there is no way in you beat me before our reinforcements arrive."

"What?" Yang was slightly taken aback.

Mercury took advantage of her shock to leap straight for Yang.

Yang barely recovered in time to block with her mechanical arm, but the force of Mercury's kick launched her flying, before crashing down and skidding across the rocks.

She scrambled to her feet and fired several wild shots at Mercury with Ember Celica, before making a dash toward Weiss and Maria, who were now battling the Sphinx next to the wrecked gunship.

The Knight that Weiss had summoned finally managed to cut the Sphinx to two with Maria's guidance, and Weiss managed to catch her breath in exhaustion. But she didn't have long.

"Weiss! Maria! I think it's a trap! More of Salem's people are coming!" Yang bellowed, racing for her companions, occasionally firing shots behind her at the pursuing Mercury. "We have to get out of here!"

"A little too late for that," A snide voice commented. A man in an Atlas military coat and a pilot's helmet stood smugly, crossing his arms, a hundred meters away… just before a Nevermore landed right beside him.

A Nevermore which was carrying Cinder, Tyrian, and Dr. Watts.

"That's enough, Dr. Myklos," Dr. Watts indicated condescendingly to the man in the Atlas coat, as he dismounted after Cinder and Tyrian. "Stay with the Nevermore, will you?"

The other man glared at Dr. Watts, but before he could make a rebuke, Mercury rushed right by where Weiss, Yang, and Maria were bunkered behind the fallen gunship, and rejoined Cinder and the others.

"Ah, yes, Cinder's lackey," Dr. Watts acknowledged dryly, causing Mercury to clench his fists.

"Yang! Weiss! Watch your backs!" They heard Nora shout from the distance, and they wheeled around to see Emerald and Neo running for them, Ren and Nora in fast pursuit.

Yang began firing at them with Ember Celica, while Weiss used dust to conjure barriers against Emerald fire. But the two athletic female enemies merely leapt onto the shattered chassis of the gunship and vaulted over, running to join Cinder and the rest of Salem's followers.

"Oh great, Cinder's posse has grown by one," Watts rolled his eyes.

"Shit, what do we do now?" Yang turned to look at everyone.

"Where is Ruby and her crazy schemes when you need her…" Weiss muttered under her breath.

"Oh come on, they outnumber us just 6 to 5. We can totally kick their ass!" Nora scoffed.

"Be serious!" Ren shouted. "This is Cinder you're talking about! And that Scorpion guy! And some of Salem's worst minions! This isn't a tournament fight- we can't just tank our way through this!"

"He's right! We need to regroup with Qrow! And Ironwood! And Ruby!" Weiss shouted. "We have to get out of here!"

"Not with the relic, you don't!" Cinder shrieked. "Don't let them get away!"

"Run!" Maria ordered authoritatively. "I'll hold them off!"

"What, no!" Weiss exclaimed in horror.

"We don't have time to argue!" Maria shouted back. "Get out! Now! You'll only hold me back!" She drew her sickles and jumped over the wrecked gunship, catching her opponents off-guard and began slashing and parrying.

"Oh, the Grimm Reaper!" Tyrian cackled, as he engaged with his prosthetic tail. "I had heard she was alive- this will be interesting!"

"No!" Weiss exclaimed.

"She- she's right," Blake gritted her teeth. "We- we can't let the relic fall into Salem's hands." She gestured to Weiss belt. We… can't let her sacrifice be in vain- we need to leave now!"

With that the four fled tearfully, back across the snow, making their way back to Mantle, battling off the sporadic Grimm that tried to intercept them. It would be the last time they saw Maria Calavera alive.


End file.
